Practice Areas
CHICAGO PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS OF LEVIN & PERCONTI PRACTICE AREAS
- Nursing Home Neglect
- Chicago Vehicle Accidents
- Chicago Aviation Accidents
- Construction Accidents
- Chicago Medical Malpractice
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Defective Products
- Slip and Fall/Premise Liability
- Chicago Wrongful Death
Americans are living longer than ever before. The fastest growing segment in the United States is the elderly population. As a result of this demographic shift, many elderly Americans have become residents of nursing homes during their final years. As many of these nursing homes are under-funded and understaffed, a disturbing incidence of neglect and abuse is being reported. Injuries sustained by nursing home residents due to neglect and abuse often involve the inappropriate use of physical restraints, joint contractors, overuse of sedatives, unnecessary use of urinary catheters, loss of mobility, pressure sores and lack of nutrition with weight loss.
Click here to view some of our nursing home neglect case results.
Legal claims that arise from vehicle accidents are typically governed by the law of negligence. Any individual who negligently operates a motor vehicle may be required to pay damages to an injured victim. A personal injury case involving a vehicle accident may become formalized through civil court proceedings, or may be resolved through an informal settlement before a lawsuit is filed. Vehicle accidents can include car accidents, boating accidents, motorcycle accidents, semi tractor trailer accidents, school bus accidents, train accidents and truck accidents, to name a few. Anyone injured by a drunk driver in a traffic accident, or surviving family members of a fatally injured accident victim, may be able to bring wrongful death charges against the defendant.
Airline crashes typically result in the most traumatic injuries and death. These cases are extremely complex and may involve federal, state, or international laws and treaties. There may also be limitations on recoveries and caps on damages. Weather, maintenance, ground preparation of flights, pilot error, manufacturing defects and controller error may all contribute to a crash.
Typically, the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) conducts an investigation. Obtaining a copy of the NTSB report and having the evidence reviewed by an aviation expert is crucial to determining if there is a potential issue and responsibility.
Construction labor makes up one of the three most dangerous occupations in the United States today; each year producing thousands of debilitating injuries and wrongful deaths. Factors that contribute to construction accidents include workers lifting loads with worn and weathered cables, working on elevated platforms without fall protection or wearing defective safety harnesses and lanyards, and/or working in trenches with improper benching and using outdated tools and equipment.
Construction site personal injury law is not practiced nor understood by many personal injury Attorneys. As a result, many personal injury construction claims are often subject to mediocre representation and minimal financial compensation due to improper legal counsel. Injured construction workers are urged to seek a personal injury Attorney who is knowledgeable in a variety of construction techniques and has successfully litigated numerous construction site personal injury cases.
Medical malpractice is the failure of a health care provider to treat and care for a patient with a reasonable degree of expertise and compassion. If a physician was careless, lacked proper skills, or disregarded standardized rules, a jury may find the health care provider negligent. If damages result from such negligence, monetary compensation may be awarded. Hospitals can be liable for the negligence of their employees, including staff nurses and technicians.
Other examples of Medical Malpractice include:
- Failing to diagnose a tumor while reading an x-ray
- Puncturing a nearby organ or tissue during surgery
- Failing to order necessary and appropriate medical tests
- Failing to diagnose a condition in time to treat it properly
- Failing to refer a case to a medical specialist
- Prescribing incorrect medication
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Birth Injury
- Incorrect diagnosis that results in a failure to treat a medical condition
- Failing to properly administer anesthesia
- Emergency room negligence
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a medical phrase used to describe the damage to the brain suffered by sudden impact or physical force to the head. Essentially, the human brain floats in a fluid substance call cerebrospinal fluid. TBI can result when an impact causes the momentum of the brain to come into contact with the skull. This type of injury, often the result of hitting your head on the windshield, pavement, or object, is frequently referred to as a “closed head injury.” Whiplash can also cause TBI. These closed head injuries can result in lasting physical and mental problems.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when the nerves within the spinal canal are damaged. Most SCI's are caused by trauma to the vertebral column, affecting the spinal cord's ability to send and receive messages from the brain to the body's systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic function. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of SCI, followed by acts of violence, falls, sports injuries and diseases such as polio, spina bifida, and Friedreich’s Ataxia. The spinal cord does not have to be severed in order for a loss of functioning to occur; it only has to be fractured.
Product liability refers to a manufacturer or seller being held liable for placing a defective product into the hands of a consumer. A person injured by a defective or dangerous product may be eligible to file a lawsuit for product liability, and recover damages under one of the following categories: strict product liability, negligence, or breach of warranty.
SLIP AND FALL/PREMISE LIABILITY:
Slip and fall accidents can cause serious injury, although often are not taken seriously. A fall on another person's property due to unsafe conditions may be eligible for compensation due to personal injury. Property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe and must warn visitors of potential non-obvious hazards. For example, if fluids are left on the floor of a store for an unreasonable amount of time or there is no effort to clean the floor after notice of the condition, the owner may be legally liable for a slip and fall injury occurring in that location.
Most slip and falls happen in commercial settings, including grocery stores, drug stores, office buildings, construction sites, and even gas stations and malls. These accidents may also happen on private property. Either way, there exist duties on the part of the property owners to maintain the property responsibly and avoid the existence of dangerous conditions.
Wrongful death law is the area of law that seeks to provide financial compensation to the family of a person whose death was caused by the negligent, willful, or wrongful act of another. In addition to receiving compensation for wrongful death, the family of the deceased may be able to recover damages for personal injury to the decedent, anticipated earnings until the expected time of retirement, as well as medical bills, funeral costs and other related expenses.
If you or someone you know in Chicago, Illinois, or in the surrounding counties of Illinois needs the assistance or trusted legal advice of an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer, please call the Attorneys of Levin & Perconti today at 866-822-0169, or use the contact form provided on this site to begin your free consultation with a trusted Chicago personal injury attorney.